Written Answers Monday 23 February 2009

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many alcohol-related incidents have taken place in schools in the Lothians region in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) type of incident and (b) local authority.

Keith Brown: This information is not collected centrally.

Children

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the guidance, Safeguarding Children in Scotland who may have been Trafficked.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has today published the multi-agency guidance Safeguarding Children in Scotland who may have been Trafficked . The guidance, which was subject to detailed public consultation in 2008, will support professionals in identifying, assessing and providing appropriate support for children who may have been victims of trafficking. Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47563).

Communities

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the right to buy can be applied where a local community, in a settlement of fewer than 3,000 people, wishes to purchase a sports ground and related facilities that are for sale.

Roseanna Cunningham: A local community comprising a settlement of up to 10,000 people can register a community interest in land (and assets such as a sports ground and its related facilities). This threshold is applied by the Community Right to Buy (Definition of Excluded Land) (Scotland) Order 2006, which lists the settlements where the right to buy cannot be exercised.

  To be eligible to apply, a community body must comply with section 34 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. If the sports ground and related facilities are already on the market, the community would need to submit a "late application" to register its interest under section 39 of the act.

Elections

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long records of the people who voted in local government elections are required to be kept.

Bruce Crawford: The retention of records at Local Government elections is governed by the Scottish Local Government Elections Order 2007.

  This states that election information held electronically must be retained by the local authority for four years and all other documentation for a period of one year.

Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people had a charge proved in a court in Tayside under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 in 2007-08.

Kenny MacAskill: Court Proceedings data for 2007-08 is not yet available; it is due to be published in April 2009.

  Data from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database for the latest year available, 2006-07, shows that there were six persons with a charge proved in Tayside under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005, where this was the main offence.

First Minister

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits have flowed from the meeting between the First Minister, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the CBI and the STUC on 21 October 2008.

John Swinney: The meeting on 21 October 2008 between the First Minister, myself, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Director of CBI Scotland and the General Secretary of the STUC discussed a number of issues of importance to Scotland, including the actions of the Scottish and UK Governments in response to the economic downturn.

Flood Prevention

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed changing the funding mechanism for flood management and alternative flood schemes with COSLA.

Roseanna Cunningham: As announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth a review of the local government finance distribution methodology is being taken forward jointly with COSLA to ensure resources are distributed as fairly and equitably as possible. This will include a review of the former ring-fenced funding for flood prevention and coast protection which is now rolled-up as part of the local government finance settlement.

Forestry Commission

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what practical policies Forestry Commission Scotland has put in place to optimise the use of the national forest estate for carbon sequestration and mitigation and what policies it expects to continue.

Roseanna Cunningham: Forestry Commission Scotland published its Climate Change Action Plan (2009-2011) on 2 February (www.forestry.gov.uk/ccapscotland), setting out what it will do to increase the contribution and response of Scottish forestry to the challenges of climate change. Effort will focus on protecting and managing existing forests, creating new woodland, using woodland for renewable energy, replacing other materials with wood and planning to adapt to our changing climate. These directions will be embedded in the Forest Enterprise Scotland Framework Strategic Plan (2009-2013) and Forest District Strategic Plans, all of which are now being reviewed following extensive public consultation in 2008 (www.forestry.gov.uk/fesplans).

  Specific actions, within the context of sustainable forest management and supporting the forestry sector’s significant contribution to meeting the government’s emission reduction targets, include Forest Enterprise Scotland maximising the potential for wind farms on the national forest estate; purchasing sufficient land to create around 6,000 hectares of new woodland over a three-year period, and making one half to three quarters of a million cubic meters of timber available for the biomass market each year.

  Such actions are continually reviewed as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review process and will also be informed by the review of the FCS Climate Change Action Plan in 2011.

Forestry Commission

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19892 by Michael Russell on 2 February 2009, whether it has powers to require potential private lessees of parts of the forest estate to assist their customers in meeting the challenges arising from the economic downturn.

Roseanna Cunningham: It would only be possible to require lessees of parts of the national forest estate to assist their customers in meeting challenges arising from an economic downturn (e.g. by easing payment terms) if provisions to this effect were included in the terms of the lease.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients were treated via the private or independent sector in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Information and Statistics Division of NHS National Services Scotland continues to work with the Scottish Government, NHS boards, and independent health care providers to improve the quality of this data, and ensure high levels of completion. It is intended that this information should be published on a regular basis, when the data is of sufficient quality and completeness.

  The apparent increase in independent sector activity in some health boards for the year ending 31 December 2007 can be attributed to (a) improvement in the collection of these data in recent months, particularly at independent locations other than private hospitals (e.g. private nursing homes; hospices; homes run by local authorities or charities), and (b) the opening of the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro Hospital in 2006. However, as submission levels are believed to vary by location and over time, the figures should be considered of limited use and should be interpreted with caution.

  The following table shows available information for in-patient / day case activity that has been submitted for NHS patients treated by independent healthcare providers in Scotland.

  NHSScotland In-Patient and Day Case Episodes - Numbers of Records that have been Submitted for Private Health Care1 in Scotland; by NHS Board of Residence; Years Ending 31 December2

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007


 Scotland
 1,929
 1,700
 2,036
 1,867
 2,285
 2,075
 2,710
 3,193
 3,994


 NHS Board Area of Residence
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Ayrshire and Arran
 200
 44
 32
 39
 13
 121
 284
 276
 295


 Borders
 70
 78
 53
 59
 105
 74
 99
 71
 153


 Dumfries and Galloway
 -
 -
 1
 -
 16
 251
 306
 409
 125


 Fife
 17
 29
 98
 125
 1
 31
 192
 126
 202


 Forth Valley
 3
 12
 6
 2
 168
 254
 256
 267
 439


 Grampian
 92
 136
 125
 107
 350
 519
 764
 826
 729


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 41
 36
 191
 320
 432
 73
 93
 172
 233


 Lanarkshire
 284
 283
 304
 268
 297
 123
 86
 268
 146


 Lothian
 996
 876
 975
 767
 720
 463
 490
 633
 1,089


 Highland
 185
 182
 183
 139
 158
 143
 120
 112
 114


 Orkney
 -
 -
 -
 -
 2
 -
 -
 6
 6


 Shetland
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 5
 11
 2


 Tayside
 -
 12
 45
 25
 9
 2
 4
 1
 426


 Western Isles
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2
 -
 1
 -
 -


 England/Wales/Northern Ireland
 16
 5
 13
 8
 5
 13
 9
 11
 16


 No Fixed Abode
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Not Known
 25
 6
 9
 6
 6
 6
 -
 2
 19


 Outside UK
 -
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 1
 -



  Source: ISD Scotland [Form SMR01] Date: 3 February 2009.

  Notes:

  1. Comprises the following: private hospitals; private nursing homes; hospices; other independent providers (including homes run by local authorities or charities)

  2. It is emphasised that the figures shown are based on incomplete returns. Submission levels are believed to vary by location and over time. For this reason, the figures will be of limited use and should be treated with caution.

Healthy Living

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide further support for healthy living centres in 2009-10.

Shona Robison: I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government will continue the Healthy Living Centre (HLCs) transition fund in 2009-10. The fund will allow further time for HLCs to secure sustainable local funding for their services.

  We will provide up to £70,000 per HLC in 2009-10. The fund will continue to be administered by local health boards using a rigorous set of criteria, similar to that in 2008-09, including HLCs having very good prospects of achieving sustainability by March 2010.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to educate parents about the dangers of knife crime and access to knives.

Fergus Ewing: Parents and carers have a vitally important role in preventing children becoming involved in a gang or carrying a knife and we are committed to supporting their efforts. We provide Parentline Scotland with over £100,000 per annum to provide a free and confidential helpline for any parent or carer looking after a child in Scotland who need advice on a range of issues. And, through the national Violence Reduction Unit, leaflets providing parents and carers with advice on preventing their child becoming involved in this behaviour has been sent to every nursery, primary school, doctors surgery and library in Scotland.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage witnesses of knife crime to come forward with evidence, particularly among young people.

Fergus Ewing: As the circumstances of each case can be unique the police use a range of tactics that suit the circumstances in order to encourage witnesses to come forward with evidence. In all cases, the Crimestoppers phoneline has an important contribution to make, and the Scottish Government has provided Crimestoppers with £90,000 funding this year to enable this important service to continue.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that a problem exists in relation to knife crime, young people and the withholding of evidence and, if so, what action it is taking to tackle the problem.

Fergus Ewing: Whilst the circumstances of each individual case can be unique, neither the Scottish Government, nor the police, consider this to be a problem.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the success of Operation Cougar in tackling gang culture in Manchester, as reported by the Home Office on 29 January 2009, what aspects of this initiative the Scottish Government considers could be replicated in Scotland.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the success of Operation Cougar in tackling gang culture in Manchester, as reported by the Home Office on 29 January 2009, whether it considers that the use of police spotters to quickly identify mounting tensions and who can bring in additional officers to respond is an approach that could be adopted in tackling gang culture in Scotland.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the success of Operation Cougar in tackling gang culture in Manchester, as reported by the Home Office on 29 January 2009, whether it is aware of any Scottish police forces that deploy spotters to tackle gang culture.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the success of Operation Cougar in tackling gang culture in Manchester, as reported by the Home Office on 29 January 2009 and during which people wanting to leave gangs were provided with support from a range of partners to do so, whether similar support is offered in Scotland.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide advice to parents and carers on preventing children in their care from becoming involved in gangs.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to provide advice to parents and carers and information on who to contact for help and support if they suspect that a child in their care may be involved with gangs.

Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-20288 on 23 February 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19206 by Kenny MacAskill on 15 January 2009, for what reasons Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority received a negative allocation of funds.

Kenny MacAskill: Community Justice Authorities (CJA) receive a share of overall funding calculated by an agreed formula drawing upon published workload statistics over the preceding three years. The total Scotland-wide allocation for Community Service for 2009-10 has increased from £13,689,165 to £15,425,618 as a result of the previously announced additional funding. Lothian and Borders CJA’s percentage increase was lower than that for other CJAs because of a drop in their workload figures for Community Service over the preceding three years. The total Lothian and Borders CJA community service allocation has nonetheless benefited by a 5% increase from £2,205,206 to £2,312,420 for the year 2009-10 as a result of the overall increase in government funding for community penalties.

Licensing

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what statutory provision licensing boards operate codes of conduct or codes of practice for the holders of off-sales licences.

Kenny MacAskill: It is for licensing boards to determine the most appropriate statutory basis for their actions.

Licensing

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to licensing boards on the content and implementation of codes of conduct or codes of practice for the holders of off-sales licences.

Kenny MacAskill: Development of such codes are a matter for licensing boards. The Scottish Government has not issued guidance in this respect.

NHS Finance

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value was of each capital allocation to NHS Tayside in each financial year since 2005-06, taking inflation into account.

Nicola Sturgeon: The value of the formula capital allocations to NHS Tayside from 2005-06 taking inflation into account are shown in the following table:

  

 Year
Formula Capital Allocation £ Million
Adjusted for Inflation £ Million


 2005-06
 16.906
 18.748


 2006-07
 20.276
 21.883


 2007-08
 24.347
 25.516


 2008-09
 24.650
 25.008


 2009-10
 25.030
 25.030



  The figures are adjusted for 2009-10 prices.

NHS Procurement

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action was taken in light of the 2004 Audit Scotland report, Better Equipped to Care? Follow-up report on managing medical equipment .

Nicola Sturgeon: We continue to support NHSScotland to implement the recommendations of the report by separately identifying and allocating specific resources for medical equipment. Within the capital budget agreed for SR 2007, £90 million has been identified to support investment in medical equipment.

  Scottish Government Health Directorates established a system to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the report by NHS boards. This involves a follow up exercise conducted on a six monthly basis with all NHS boards on their progress in implementing the recommendations in the report. NHS boards are also asked to report on the level of planned and actual investment in categories of medical equipment as part of the financial information supporting local delivery plans and capital expenditure monitoring.

NHS Procurement

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what issues have been followed up with NHS bodies as a result of information provided on progress in implementing the recommendations in the 2004 Audit Scotland report, Better Equipped to Care? Follow-up report on managing medical equipment .

Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government Health Directorates liaise regularly with NHS boards on all issues and recommendations in the Audit Scotland report. NHS boards are asked to report on the level of investment in medical equipment as part of the financial information which supports Local Delivery Plans and to submit bi-annual returns identifying progress made with implementing the recommendations made in the 2004 Audit Scotland Report.

NHS Procurement

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when a new computer system designed to contain a common data set on estate performance across all NHS bodies will be in place.

Nicola Sturgeon: The system is currently in procurement and a preferred supplier is to be selected by the end of May 2009. A detailed implementation and roll out plan is currently in development.

NHS Procurement

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that NHS bodies undertake past project reviews, as required by the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government Health Directorates have already introduced a system to monitor post project and post occupancy reviews. The timescales set out for such reviews in business cases will be monitored and reports followed up under the auspices of the Health Directorates’ Capital Investment Group.

  For projects not requiring Scottish Government approval, NHSScotland bodies will be required to undertake post project evaluations and submit an annual report of the key lessons learned across such projects. These lessons will be collated by Scottish Government Health Directorates to provide a useful resource for the benefit of NHSScotland as a whole.

NHS Procurement

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is using the experience of school estate management to inform estate management in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The asset management policy and supporting guidance being developed for NHSScotland draws on guidance and experience from across a range of sectors including schools guidance with the aim of establishing a best practice framework within which NHSScotland bodies can operate.

NHS Properties

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce routine collection of information relating to NHS property management policies.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes. This will be a requirement of the new NHSScotland Asset Management Policy which currently in development and scheduled for issue by end of May 2009.

Public Sector Staff

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many days were lost in local authorities through sickness absence in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. The management of sickness absence within local authorities is a matter for individual local authorities as employers.

  Local authorities are required by law to provide Audit Scotland with information on sickness absence levels among local government staff on an annual basis. This information can be accessed on the Audit Scotland website www.audit-scotland.gov.uk.

Rail Network

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 22% efficiency savings required by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) and the announcement by Network Rail to defer 28% of planned track renewals across the United Kingdom will have an impact on track renewals, inspection and maintenance programmes in Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: Network Rail’s acceptance of the Office of Rail Regulation’s Final Determination for the delivery of Scottish Ministers’ High Level Output Specification for Control Period 4 (CP4 April 2009 – March 2014) was announced on Thursday 5 February 2009. Transport Scotland will look to the ORR to ensure that Network Rail meets all the outputs for which it will be funded in CP4, including assurance that any re-profiling of works will leave a deliverable programme.

Scottish Government Policy

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on recognising and promoting national awareness days.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises and promotes national awareness days internally through communication with staff, and externally through statements of support from ministers. We currently consider which events to recognise and promote on a case-by-case basis.

Zimbabwe

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements will be made to assist vulnerable British people who choose to leave Zimbabwe and resettle in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The UK Government has today made a statement regarding a scheme to support the resettlement of vulnerable British people from Zimbabwe. The Scottish Government will be playing a full part in that scheme and will work with local government and other agencies to ensure the necessary range of services to anyone returning who chooses to live in Scotland.

  The UK Government estimates that there are some 3,000 British citizens and British nationals in Zimbabwe with the right of abode in the UK aged 70 or over, or vulnerable because of care needs or medical conditions. For some time the UK Government has advised vulnerable British people and their families that if they are concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe, they should consider whether they need to remain there. This has remained unchanged since 2007. Despite the recent changes in the political situation, this advice remains unchanged.

  The UK Government is concerned about elderly and vulnerable British people who increasingly may be unable to support themselves in Zimbabwe but who are unable to move to the UK without assistance. The UK Government is therefore ready to offer those British people assistance to resettle in the UK. It is putting in place arrangements to receive, assess housing and care needs and provide on-going support to those British people who wish to resettle here. Discussions are on-going with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities regarding the practical arrangements for receiving those who may choose to return to live in Scotland.

  Older and vulnerable British people in Zimbabwe are being informed of the assistance available. It is difficult to anticipate the extent of interest in this offer, but it is estimated that up to 750 households may wish to come to the UK over the next 18 months or so. It is not clear how these would be distributed across the UK and how many might want to settle in Scotland. That will only become apparent as applications are made.

  The British Embassy is not advising people to leave Zimbabwe and it continues to provide a full consular service to those who remain.

  The Scottish Government is committed to providing the necessary support to those vulnerable people who choose to settle here. The UK Government, Scottish Government and COSLA will work together to ensure that adequate resources are in place to support this scheme. I am confident that we will be able to meet the needs of any person who resettles in Scotland.